Apparatus for and method of performing image-drawing processing

Abstract

Described herein is an apparatus for and a method of performing image-drawing processing on image-drawn objects such as at least characters or graphics with the image-drawn objects as an input. The apparatus comprises a list generating device that generates a list of image-drawn factor elements constituting the image-drawn objects, an image-drawn factor elements sorting device that classifies the image-drawn factor elements by use of reference values constant to information about the lengths of the image-drawn factor elements constituting the list, an image-drawn factor elements storing device that stores the classified image-drawn factor elements therein so as to correspond to the reference values, a plurality of image-drawing processing devices that perform parallel image-drawing processing on the image-drawn factor elements, an image-drawing area allocating device that divides an image drawing area into pieces and assigning the divided image-drawing areas to the image-drawing processing devices, an image-drawn factor elements transfer controlling device that transfers the image-drawn factor elements from the image-drawn factor elements storing device to said image-drawing processing device in association with the reference values, and a synthesizing and outputting device that synthesizes results of the image-drawing processing on the image-drawn factor elements by the image-drawing processing device and outputting the result of synthesis therefrom.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An image-drawing processing apparatus for performing image-drawing processing on image-drawn object or image-drawn objects such as at least characters or graphics with the image-drawn objects as an input, comprising: list generating means for generating a list of image-drawn factor elements constituting said image-drawn objects;   image-drawn factor elements sorting means for classifying said image-drawn factor elements by use of reference values constant to information about the lengths of said image-drawn factor elements constituting said list;   image-drawn factor elements storing means for storing said classified image-drawn factor elements therein so as to correspond to said reference values;   a plurality of image-drawing processing means for performing parallel image-drawing processing on said image-drawn factor elements;   image-drawing area allocating means for dividing an image-drawing area and assigning the divided image-drawing areas to said image-drawing processing means;   image-drawn factor elements transfer controlling means for transferring said image-drawn factor elements necessary for image-drawing processing of said image-drawing area from said image-drawn factor elements storing means to said image-drawing processing means in association with said reference values; and   synthesizing and outputting means for synthesizing results of the image-drawing processing on the image-drawn factor elements by said image-drawing processing means and outputting the result of synthesis therefrom.   
     
     
       2. The image-drawing processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image-drawing area allocating means assigns image-drawing areas in a horizontal direction and said image-drawn factor elements sorting means set heights of vertical lines orthogonal to boundaries between the adjacent respective image-drawing areas as said length information and classify said image-drawn factor elements by use of reference values constant to the length information. 
     
     
       3. The image-drawing processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image-drawing area allocating means assigns image-drawing areas in a vertical direction and said image-drawn factor elements sorting means set widths of vertical lines orthogonal to boundaries between the image-drawing areas as said length information and classify the image-drawn factor elements by use of reference values constant to said length information. 
     
     
       4. The image-drawing processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image-drawn factor elements transfer controlling means transfers image-drawn factor elements completely included within an image-drawing area as well as image-drawn factor elements which are partly included within the image-drawing area and have the length information less than or equal to the reference values, to said image-drawing processing means. 
     
     
       5. The image-drawing processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image-drawn factor elements storing means continuously store said image-drawn factor elements therein upon storage of said image-drawn factor elements. 
     
     
       6. The image-drawing processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image-drawing factor elements storing means discontinuously store said image-drawn factor elements therein upon storage of said image-drawn factor elements. 
     
     
       7. The image-drawing processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when storing said image-drawn factor elements, said image-drawn factor elements storing means define said image-drawn factor elements by a function with said length information and said reference values as parameters and store the same therein. 
     
     
       8. The image-drawing processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said image-drawing processing means holds therein position information about said image-drawing area previously taken under its charge and processed. 
     
     
       9. The image-drawing processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said image-drawing processing means calculates said reference values indicative of classifications for providing reading instructions, based on the range of said assigned image-drawing areas. 
     
     
       10. A method of performing image-drawing processing on image-drawn objects such as at least characters or graphics with the image-drawn objects as an input, comprising the following steps of: generating a list of image-drawn factor elements constituting said image-drawn objects;   classifying said image-drawn factor elements by use of reference values constant to information about the lengths of said image-drawn factor elements constituting said list;   storing said classified image-drawn factor elements in association with said reference values;   dividing an image-drawing area;   transferring said image-drawn factor elements necessary for image-drawing processing of said image-drawing area in association with said reference values;   performing image-drawing processing on said transferred image-drawn factor elements; and   synthesizing results of the image-drawing processing on the image-drawn factor elements and outputting the result of synthesis.   
     
     
       11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising a step of transferring said image-drawn factor elements completely included within an image-drawing area as well as image-drawn factor elements which are partly included within the image-drawing area and have the length information less than or equal to the reference values, when said image-drawn factor elements necessary for the image-drawing processing of said image-drawing area are transferred in association with said reference values. 
     
     
       12. An image-drawing processing apparatus for effecting image-drawing processing on image-drawn objects including at least characters or graphics, comprising: means for receiving a list of image-drawn factor elements constituting said image-drawn objects;   image-drawn factor elements sorting means for classifying said image-drawn factor elements by use of reference values constant to information about the lengths of said image-drawn factor elements constituting said list received by said receiving means;   image-drawn factor elements storing means for storing said classified image-drawn factor elements therein in association with said reference values;   a plurality of image-drawing processing means for effecting parallel image-drawing processing on said image-drawn factor elements;   allocating means for dividing an image-drawing area and assigning the divided image-drawing areas to said image-drawing processing means;   image-drawn factor elements transfer controlling means for transferring said image-drawn factor elements necessary for image-drawing processing of the image-drawing area from said image-drawn factor elements sorting means to said image-drawing processing means in association with the reference values; and   synthesizing and outputting means for synthesizing results of the image-drawing processing on the image-drawn factor elements by said image-drawing processing means and outputting the result of synthesis therefrom.   
     
     
       13. An image-drawing processing apparatus for performing image-drawing processing on image-drawn objects including at least characters or graphics, comprising: means for receiving image-drawn factor elements list which classify image-drawn factor elements by use of reference values constant to information about the lengths of said image-drawn factor elements constituting said list from the list of the image-drawn factor elements constituting said image-drawn objects;   image-drawn factor elements storing means for storing said classified image-drawn factor elements therein in association with said reference values;   a plurality of image-drawing processing means for effecting parallel image-drawing processing on said image-drawn factor elements;   allocating means for dividing an image-drawing area and assigning the divided image-drawing areas to said image-drawing processing means;   image-drawn factor elements transfer controlling means for transferring said image-drawn factor elements necessary for image-drawing processing of the image-drawing area from said image-drawn factor elements sorting means to said image-drawing processing means in association with the reference values; and   synthesizing and outputting means for synthesizing results of the image-drawing processing on the image-drawn factor elements by said image-drawing processing means and outputting the result of synthesis therefrom.   
     
     
       14. An image-drawing processing apparatus for effecting image-drawing processing on image-drawn objects including at least characters or graphics, comprising: means for receiving a list of image-drawn factor elements constituting said image-drawn objects;   image-drawn factor elements sorting means for classifying said image-drawn factor elements by use of reference values constant to information about the lengths of said image-drawn factor elements constituting said list;   image-drawn factor elements storing means for storing said classified image-drawn factor elements therein in association with said reference values;   a plurality of image-drawing processing means for effecting parallel image-drawing processing on said image-drawn factor elements;   allocating means for dividing an image-drawing area and assigning the divided image-drawing areas to said image-drawing processing means;   image-drawn factor elements transfer controlling means for transferring said image-drawn factor elements necessary for image-drawing processing of the image-drawing area from said image-drawn factor elements sorting means to said image-drawing processing means in association with the reference values; and   transferring means for transferring results of the image-drawing processing on the image-drawn factor elements by said image-drawing processing means.   
     
     
       15. An image-drawing processing apparatus for performing image-drawing processing on image-drawn objects including at least characters or graphics, comprising: means for receiving a list of image-drawn factor elements constituting said image-drawn objects;   image-drawn factor elements sorting means for classifying said image-drawn factor elements by use of reference values constant to information about the lengths of said image-drawn factor elements constituting the list received by said receiving means;   image-drawn factor elements storing means for storing said classified image-drawn factor elements therein in association with said reference values;   a plurality of image-drawing processing means for effecting parallel image-drawing processing on said image-drawn factor elements;   allocating means for dividing an image-drawing area and assigning the divided image-drawing areas to said image-drawing processing means;   image-drawn factor elements transfer controlling means for transferring said image-drawn factor elements necessary for image-drawing processing of the image-drawing area from said image-drawn factor elements sorting means to said image-drawing processing means in association with the reference values; and   transferring means for transferring results of the image-drawing processing on the image-drawn factor elements by said image-drawing processing means.   
     
     
       16. An image-drawing processing apparatus for performing image-drawing processing on image-drawn object or image-drawn objects such as at least characters or graphics with the image-drawn objects as an input, comprising: list generating means for generating a list of image-drawn factor elements constituting said image-drawn objects;   image-drawn factor elements sorting means for classifying said image-drawn factor elements by use of reference values constant to information about the lengths of said image-drawn factor elements constituting said list;   image-drawn factor elements storing means for storing said classified image-drawn factor elements therein so as to correspond to said reference values;   image-drawing processing means for performing parallel image-drawing processing on said image-drawn factor elements;   image-drawing area allocating means for dividing an image-drawing area and assigning the divided image-drawing areas to said image-drawing processing means;   image-drawn factor elements transfer controlling means for transferring said image-drawn factor elements necessary for image-drawing processing of said image-drawing area from said image-drawn factor elements storing means to said image-drawing processing means in association with said reference values; and   synthesizing and outputting means for synthesizing results of the image-drawing processing on the image-drawn factor elements by said image-drawing processing means and outputting the result of synthesis therefrom.